Record Details

Summary

The site of a free-standing medieval bell-tower for the cathedral. Its massive stone foundations were exposed by excavation in 1956.

Images - none

Location

Grid Reference:

TG 23380 08858

Map Sheet:

TG20NW

Parish:

NORWICH, NORWICH, NORFOLK

Full description

1956.Excavations in roadway in front of Number 71 for water main exposed mass of masonry foundations of cathedral campanile.(1) shows position of campanile as recorded by 1851 excavation.?Marked correctly.Late medieval and post medieval pottery, Clocher in existance by 1271, situated just south of Erpingham Gate across walk from Upper Close.Clocher bells probably sold by Dean and Chapter in 1572.In about 1582 - 1584 clocher described as dilapidated or ruinary.Shown on Brown's view of Norwich (1579) (S2).Number 71 The Close largely 17th century.Whittinghams plan (1938) marks clocher as 1299 to 1308.R.R. Clarke (NCM).

However ref (S2) refers to the foundations of the bell tower as having been found in 1888 when the whole forecourt was lowered to expose the base of the cathedral west façade. Can this be the case in this position, and is this separate from the 1851 excavation?E.Rose (NLA), 18 February 1994.

W.Milligan (NCM) has checked ref (S1) and states that it consists only of documentary references with no mention of a discovery in 1851. Clearly Clarke made some confusion here.

(S3) gives yet another version that the bell tower was used as a quarry for building the Great Hospital 1576-80, the bells were removed 1569 and the foundations excavated 1881. For 71 The Close now see site NHER 26084.E. Rose (NLA), 26 January 2001.

For full description of belltower see (S4) and references there given.E. Rose (NLA), 10 June 2002.